There, she meets three other girls: intelligent and opportunistic thief, Sarah Morgan, naive young Rachel Winter, and reliable and capable seamstress, Harriet Clarke.On the voyage to New South Wales their friendship becomes an unbreakable bond -- but there are others on board who will change their lives forever. Friday makes an implacable enemy of Bella Jackson, a vicious woman whose power seems undiminished by her arrest and transportation, while Harriet is taken under the wing of an idealistic doctor, James Downey. Rachel catches the eye of a sinister passenger with more than honour on his mind, whose brutal assault leaves her life hanging in the balance.When they finally arrive on the other side of the world, they are confined to the grim and overcrowded Parramatta Female Factory. But worse is to come as the threat of separation looms. In the land behind the sun, the only thing they have is each other ...(from the Harper Collins website)

    The Swedish Academy lauded Ōe for his "poetic force [that] creates an imagined world where life and myth condense to form a disconcerting picture of the human predicament today."His most personal book, A Personal Matter, is the story of Bird, a frustrated intellectual in a failing marriage whose utopian dream is shattered when his wife gives birth to a brain-damaged child.

    . .and the new President. Two decades later, Putin is still in power, standing self-assured and at ease on the world stage. How did a once little known KGB bureaucrat become one of the most dominant figures of 21st-century politics?In this gripping narrative history, Misha Glenny, journalist and best-selling author of 'McMafia,' tells the story of an unexpected and swift rise to power - one full of political intrigue, backroom deals, courtroom battles and war.Insider Kremlin accounts and well-known journalists reveal how Putin was first chosen by Yeltsin and the Oligarchy and how he then went head to head with Russia's richest man. After Putin had consolidated power he needed to stay in power. The second half of the series tells the story of how he took over the media and Crimea and increased the powers of the KGB. Finally, Misha considers what Putin might do next.

    But when she grows up and her husband Tetsuya falls deathly ill, a kappa that claims to know her comes calling with a barbed promise. “A Cup of Salt Tears” is a dark fantasy leaning towards horror that asks how much someone should sacrifice for the one she loves.At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.

    The poems speak intimately of their authors' sexual longing, fulfillment and disillusionment.

    Davisson illuminates the vast realm of kaibyō, or supernatural cats, with historical and modern cultural context. Lushly illustrated in full color with dozens of ukiyo-e prints and drawings. A must-have book for the Japanophile and cat-lover alike!

    Kara Dalkey has mixed history and legend, weaving the Andersen fable into a fascinating novel about court life in ancient Japan -- a life of pageantry and poetry, of great beauty and casual cruelty, of life and courtly intrigue as the men and women of the royal household vie for the Emperor's favor, and each other.... This is the story of Uguisu, a young woman with an extraordinary gift for song, who is brought to the Emperor's palace to be the greatest of his many possessions. Her song can bring tears to a courtier's eyes, but it is her wit, her courage, and her heart that must serve her best of all.

    It’s a job for the second son, Ivan’s younger brother Johnny.But Johnny loves his wife Amy and their son Sasha. And she’s about to deliver her ultimatum: either the three of them escape this wave of killing or she’ll leave, taking Sasha.Torn between loyalty to his family and love for his wife, Johnny plans the heist of a lifetime and takes a huge risk. Is he prepared to pay the price? And what choice will Amy make?The Second Son is a brilliant action-packed crime debut that creates a world where honour is everything, violence is its own language, and love means breaking all the rules.

    A woman confronts the “other woman” in her lover’s life. A young single mother on an outing to the seaside comes face to face with how much she resents her own children. Another woman tries desperately to hold on to a private life despite her controlling male relatives.

    Turns out, they had another plan for him.A battle wages in the supernatural realm. Alan is soon recruited to join the angels. But he’ll discover there’s more to his new powers than even the Archangels expected. Caught up in a world of ancient gods, death angels, demons, the four horsemen, and the three-headed dog, Cerberus, Alan must choose a side. Because whether he’s ready or not, he’s the center of everything.Get lost in a new kind of supernatural adventure today where Archangels, Greek mythology, and legends meet apolcalyptic monsters. And where an unexpected champion overcomes personal obstacles and seeks forgiveness. If you enjoy Linsey Hall, Judith Berens, Michelle Madow, Orlando Sanchez, or Shayne Silvers, you’ll get a kick out of The Archangel Wars. Buy or download on Kindle Unlimited now.

    The story is thrilling and magical.""Twisty! Turny! Magical! Wonderful!""...I figured I knew exactly how it was going to end. I was completely wrong."“I finished it and immediate starting reading again, looking for the clues.”How does one find a shapeshifter who may not even exist?The onmyouji Tsurugu no Kiyomori, a practitioner of the mystic arts, has been engaged to protect the warlord's new bride from the fox spirit rumored to be near. Tsurugu and the shadow-warrior Shishio Hitoshi face an impossible challenge in teasing out a kitsune shapeshifter from the samurai and servants –- if such a creature is even present at all.The handsome mute twin servants belonging to Lady Kaede are certainly suspicious, but it is the beautiful and strong-willed lady herself who draws Shishio’s mistrust. Tsurugu and Shishio must move carefully, for accusing the warlord’s bride falsely would be death. But failing to identify the kitsune to the warlord is equally perilous, and there is more to discover. For an onmyouji knows secrets even the shadows do not….Kitsune-Tsuki is a historical fiction novelette, the introduction to the series KITSUNE TALES. By reader request it includes a full glossary as well.Categories:Historical fiction JapanHistorical mysteriesFantasy mythology AsianFantasy magic

    Ibuse began serializing Black Rain in the magazine Shincho in January 1965. The novel is based on historical records of the devastation caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

    After all, I take notes every day, and I read all kinds of books. But now, there's penguins in my town! I know it has something to do with that girl at the dentist and her weird powers, so I'm gonna get to the bottom of it...

    Almost devoid of plot and characterization, it unfolds within the mind of the protagonist. His ruminations constitute the theoretical core of the book.

    "The Paper Door and Other Stories" showcases the concise, delicate art of this writer who is often called "the god of the Japanese short story." Doyen of Japanese letters Donald Keene ranks some of Shiga's stories "among the most brilliant achievements in this genre by any twentieth-century Japanese writer." Shiga's unique style is concise and simple, with no unnecessary words. With the subtlest of gestures, he evokes the fullness of experience.Lane Dunlop's masterly translation of seventeen of Shiga's finest stories has provided English readers their first overview of the author's work. Now back in print, the book is augmented by Donald Keene's new preface contextualizing Shiga's awesome literary gifts. Dunlop has chosen stories that aptly represent Shiga's range and virtuosity. With selections spanning forty years, from the fable-like "The Little Girl and the Rapeseed Flower" to the psychologically complex "A Gray Moon," this collection delineates the development of Shiga's rare genius.